Device for and Method of Repairing Damaged Wallboard Openings

ABSTRACT

A device for and method of repairing damaged openings in wallboard, especially openings for electrical and electronic appliances, comprising a rear flange, front flange and a connecting member to form a channel into which wallboard will fit. The device may be straight or angled into an L shape. The device is inserted into the damaged corner or top or bottom of the opening to provide a solid surface to engage the attachment means on the appliance and can generally be inserted into the damaged opening without complete removal of the appliance or disconnection of wiring.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to a device for and method of repairing and reinforcing damaged openings in wallboard. More particularly it pertains to repairs of openings for electrical and electronic appliances and similar openings in wallboard, especially thin wallboard as often found in manufactured houses, mobile homes and recreation vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is customary in the construction of mobile homes, recreational vehicles, some modular buildings and in some building remodeling applications to affix electrical receptacle boxes (and other appliances) directly into raw openings cut into wallboard (also called dry wall, plasterboard, and Sheetrock) walls. In custom building construction it is more common to attach electrical and electronic receptacle box to wall studs, but in manufactured homes it is more economic to attach such boxes between wall studs, if any. Moreover such mid wall openings are often used when remodeling and adding electrical circuits to conventional buildings.

Generally the appliances or receptacle boxes have attachment means such as plastic arms with feet that contact the inside of the wall. Screws pass through a face plate (or the rim of the electrical box in some applications) and connect to the arms. As the screws are drawn in the face plate and the arms are drawn together. The feet contact the back of the wallboard and the compression secures the appliance to the wall. Over a period of time the stress of inserting and extracting an electrical plug or moving a switch causes the brittle core of the wallboard to crumble. Repeated attempts to tighten the box causes the wallboard to deteriorate to the point where the corners of the opening can no longer provide support for the attaching arms of the faceplate. The appliance becomes loose and eventually may be pulled completely out of the wall. This creates and unsightly and potentially dangerous situation. U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,037 details some of the electrical wiring problems and needs for manufactured home assembly.

Current methods of repair are left up to the ingenuity of the workman and range from gluing the appliance to the wall, backing it up with a piece of paneling or by removing the appliance and replacing the unit with another that attaches to a stud in the wall in a different location and rewiring the system. What is needed is a more standard and convenient materials and methods to make these repairs as expedient and inexpensive as possible.

The present invention provides a simple, quick, and effective way to repair these loose electrical and electronic appliances without questionable ingenuity or major rewiring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is, therefore, devices and method for quick and efficiently repairing of damaged opening in wallboard, the device comprising, in broadest terms, a rear flange, a front flange and a member connecting the front and rear flanges such that the space between the rear and front flange forms a channel to receive a cross section of wallboard. The device may also be formed with two sides at right angles to form an L shaped structure to facilitate repairs of corners of damaged openings. It is preferred that the rear flange be wider and longer than the front flange and that the front flange be of a length no longer than the opening to be repaired.

The devices may be provided in kit form.

In another embodiment the invention is a method of repairing damaged openings in wallboard comprising: placing in a wallboard opening a device comprising a rear flange, a front flange and a member connecting the front and rear flanges such that the space between the rear and front flange forms a channel to receive a cross section of wallboard; placing a faceplate or electrical device having attachment arms disposed on the edge into the opening in a manner and a position so that at least one of the attachment arms is secured behind the rear flange of the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a prospective view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is another prospective view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention showing a one-piece electrical appliance in a wallboard opening.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention showing an electronics box in a wallboard opening.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a three plug a electrical outlet utilizing an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

This invention is, in one aspect, a device that attaches to the edges of a damaged opening in wallboard or similar material and provides a durable surface to which to secure various appliances, such as electrical outlet and switch boxes and electronic fixtures and faceplates. The device is made of any suitable durable material, including sheet metal, “tin”, aluminum and the like and suitable polymer materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyurethane.

The device of the invention is especially suitable for use in relatively thin wallboards of manufactured homes, mobile homes, travel trailers, motor homes and other manufactured buildings. Because of the way in which electrical appliances are placed in these type homes creates a need for an efficient repair device and method. Generally, the electrical outlet and electronic boxes are placed in the wall using specially adapted appliance boxes, for example, are one-piece box/plug/attachment electrical outlet and switch boxes with “quick connect” electrical connections (see 20 and 22 of FIG. 3). This allows the electrical fixtures to be easily fitted into the wall without attaching a separate box to a wall stud and then fitting it with an electrical outlet and wiring. Sometime standard electrical boxes and outlet or switches are also used in manufactured buildings. If not attached to a stud they are placed in the wallboard in the same way as the special boxes described above. These also have attachment means that usually consist of a screw-tightened arm that is pressured against the rear of the wallboard by a screw action. When these boxes are used it is not uncommon that over time the opening will be damaged, worn or torn so that the attachment means no longer holds the boxes tightly against the wallboard. The devices and methods of this invention provides a quick, efficient means to repair such damaged opening allowing the electrical box to be reattached to the wall securely. The devices of the invention can usually be used to repair a damaged opening without completely removing the electrical box or disconnecting the wiring, thus providing a safe, speedy and efficient repair.

The invention is better understood by reference to the drawings. The device of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and comprises a rear flange (10,11 and 16), a front flange (12,13 and 17) and a member connecting the front and rear flanges (14,15 and 18) such that the space between the rear and front flange (w) forms a channel (w) to receive a cross section of wallboard.

FIG. 2 shows a device that is useful for repairing damage to longer opening in wallboard where wallboard damage is towards the center of the opening and where it is desired to secure a center electrical or electronic appliance by a retractable arm (see FIG. 5).

FIG. 1 illustrates the device that is formed with two sides at right angles to form an L shaped unit that is used for repairing corners of damaged wallboard.

The channel width (w in FIGS. 1 and 2) is desirably the width of the thickness of the wallboard on which it will be utilized. While the channel width may be slightly larger than the wallboard thickness much additional width will cause the front flange to protrude beyond the front surface of the wallboard and thus to cause the appliance (or appliance box) to fail to properly seat against the wallboard surface. Therefore, ideally, the channel will be substantially equal to the thickness of the wallboard. However, greater channel width will work, but not as neatly. In order for the device to work properly to protect and repair damaged openings, the channel should not exceed the thickness of the wallboard by more than about 1/16 inch.

In another embodiment the device will be supplied with a shim or spacer that can be inserted in the channel of the device to reduce the space. Thus, for example, if a device has a ⅜ width channel (w in FIGS. 1 and 2) to fit into a ¼ inch wallboard a ⅛ inch shim will be placed in the channel to allow a tight fit for the ¼ inch thick wallboard. It may also be desirable to attach the shim to the rear flange with a suitable adhesive. A glue strip affixed to the shim would allow the shim to be securely fastened to the device before it was inserted into the opening. Other channel widths and shim thicknesses are similarly used. This allows of use a single device for different widths of wallboard. Since it is not always possible to know beforehand what width wallboard will be encountered in a service call this shim system can provide more efficient repair.

In the devices of the invention the front flange is preferably shorter than the rear flange. In general the front flange will be no longer than the lineal dimension of the opening less the width of the flange into which it is to be used.

A typical opening for a single electrical appliance box is about 2 7/16×3 5/16 inches. Thus, the top front flange (the shorter flange of an L shaped device) would be no longer than 2 7/16 less the width of the flange (generally less than about 7/16 inch). Therefore, the top front flange length will be about 2 inch in length. Similarly the long side of the front flange will be about 2⅜ inches. This sizing facilitates placing and positioning the device into an opening. It is desirable that the rear flange be longer than the respective linear dimension of the opening to provide additional reinforcement. The rear flanges are desirably longer than the front by about ½ to 1½ inches. For the device that is a straight piece, FIG. 2, (for wider openings) the same size considerations apply.

It is also preferred that the rear flange (10, 11 and 16) be wider than the matching front flange (12, 13, and 17); width being the distance from the connecting piece (14, 15 and 18) to the edge of the flange. The rear flanges will be of a width of about ¾ inch to 1½ inches, and preferably about ¼ to ¾ inch. The front flange will be about ¼ to ¾ inch in width and preferably about 3/16 to 7/16 inch.

In one embodiment the tip of the front flange (12,13 in FIGS. 1 and 17 in FIG. 2) will be inclined inward allowing the edge (outward edge away from the connecting member 14,15 or 18) to be spread to pass over the wallboard then return to grip the surface. The inclination should begin at the edge connecting the front flange and the connecting member (14 or 18) and angle back towards the rear flange generally not more than about 1/16 to ¼ inch from the edge of the front flange.

Because of the configuration of unsupported electrical box attachment systems (placement of the attachment means), the device will generally be oriented to fit in the upper right hand corner and the lower left hand corner of the wallboard opening to be repaired.

In general it is desirable that the rear flanges be thicker, more ridged and stiffer than the front flanges. The width and rigidity of the flanges of the device are sufficient to distribute forces over an area wide enough to provide stable and secure support for the intended appliance. At the same time the channel between the backer plate and the front clip protects the damaged corners of the wallboard opening reducing further deterioration of the wall. Usually the front flange will be less than about 1/32 inch in thickness—devices of metal may be thinner than those made of polymer. The rear flanges will be less than about 1/16 inch thickness.

During installation the device is inserted into the opening and behind the wallboard keeping the shorter side of the “L” toward the front of the wallboard. The device is then turned so that the channel can be pushed over the edges of the wallboard to secure the device to the wall. The device will slide into place easily since the sides of the “L” are shorter than the respective linear dimensions of the front flange. Devices are manufactured in various sizes to accommodate the most common dimensions of required by the appliances in use and the most common thicknesses of wallboard in use.

In most cases, for corner repair, the device will be used in pairs. The pieces will be oriented so that the short side of one “L” is at the top and the other at the bottom of the opening and the long sides of the “L” on the sides of the opening. The corners of the “L”s will be at the upper right-hand corner and lower left-hand corner of the opening. These are the customary positions of the arms securing the original appliances to the wall.

While the devices are described in relation to appliances having arm attachment means, they are also useful with other types of appliance connection means such as the deflectable arms or fingers described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,764.

In another embodiment, where it is desirable to use a corner and straight flange in combination, the rear flange is provided with an indentation on the end of the flange to allow an overlap of a matching indented flange wherein the indentation is substantially the width of the rear flange and is substantially the depth of one half the thickness of the flange. Thus, both the L shaped device and straight device may be placed to overlap in a way to provide a constant thickness of the rear flanges and the overlap.

Manufacture

There are several suitable ways to manufacture this device. It is a very simple structure. The method to use depends on cost. Devices are manufactured to accommodate ¼, ⅜, ½, ⅝, ¾ and 1 inch wallboard applications. Methods of manufacture with polymer material (plastic) devices include:

1. Injection molding. An appropriate mold or die is configured for the dimensions required and plastic is injected into the mold to produce the desired object.

2. Heat forming. An appropriate mold or die is configured for the dimensions required. A sheet of plastic properly sized is applied to the mold. Proper heat and pressure are used to manufacture the device.

3. Extrusion and forming. An appropriately shaped extrusion die of proper dimensions is used to form the initial angled piece. The extrusion device will have to be programmed to make the center of the piece thicker than the ends so that when the channel is bent sufficient thickness and rigidity is maintained. The extruded channel is bent at a right angle in an appropriate die to form an angled device.

4. Composite assembly. Two pieces of appropriately sized “L” channel are bonded at right angles onto a flat appropriately dimensioned “L” shaped backer plate. The “L” channel can be cut at 90 degrees and bent backward, or two pieces out at 45 degrees for a miter, or two pieces can be butted together at 90 degrees with an appropriate length of the bottom and front of the channel removed from one of the pieces.

Metal devices are suitably made by extrusion forming or composite assembly.

Kit

In another embodiment this invention is a kit for repairing damaged openings in wallboard. A kit of commonly used devices of the invention is a convenient way to market and an efficient means of providing repairmen with the necessary parts to effect repair without carrying too many parts and without need to revisit the site of damage to obtain the necessary parts. Therefore, the invention is also a kit comprising a device pair each comprising a rear flange, a front flange and a member connecting the front and rear flanges such that the space between the rear and front flange forms a channel to receive a cross section of wallboard. The kit may include angled devices or combination of straight and angled devices. Another kit will also contain a shim or shims adapted to place in the channel to reduce the width of the channel. The shim a may also be provided with an adhesive or a glue strip.

Method of Use

The following explains in some detail the way in which the angled device of the invention will be used by referring to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 shows a one-piece electrical fixture secured into an opening in wallboard with a device of the invention in place. The one-piece electrical outlet and switch appliances are common in mobile and manufactured homes and buildings. FIG. 4 shows an open frame (used for electronic appliances) secured into an opening in wallboard with a device of the invention. The devices of the invention are used as follows:

1. Determine where the securing arms (26 and 34) on the electrical appliance, switch or receptacle box used to secure the electrical box are located. Generally this is the upper right hand corner and the lower left hand corner of the box. The screws (27, 28 and 31, 32 in FIGS. 3 and 4) will tighten clockwise through nuts (29 and 33) so the end of the arm will move also in a clockwise direction. The corner of an angled device of the invention will be placed in the corner of the opening where the free end of the arm is located after they are tightened. This can be accomplished without disconnecting the electrical wiring in most cases. This is, indeed, one of the advantages of the invention is that repairs can be made without removing the electrical box or appliance or disconnecting the wiring.

2. Holding the device in one hand with the long side of the angled device facing away, tilt the device and move it through the opening to be repaired. Orient the device so that the short side matches the short side of the opening and the corner of the device is in the damaged corner where the free end of the arm is located.

3. Turn the angled device parallel to the wall.

4. Center the channels over the edges of the opening. Push the channels of the device over the wallboard edges so that the interior base of the angled device rests on the edges of both the top and the side of the opening.

5. Orient the electrical appliance (20 and 22) or box (30) and push it back into the opening being sure the screws holding the arms are sufficiently backed off to allow the arms to move behind the back of the device. Care is needed to prevent dislodging the device from the walls of the opening.

6. After the appliance (22 on box 30) is properly located tighten the appropriate screws (27 or 31) to secure the box to the wall (24). Generally there is sufficient tolerance within existing appliance dimensions to allow them to be secured by their original mounting screws and arms without modification. Larger aftermarket replacement arms and screws are currently available if required.

The use of Straight device, FIG. 2, for larger openings:

Some electrical devices and boxes are placed in groups of three or more. FIG. 5 illustrates such an arrangement. The electrical outlets comprise a base piece (47, 48 and 49 in FIG. 5) and a front piece (41, 42 and 43). The rear piece contains the means for attaching the appliance to the wallboard. As can be seen in FIG. 5 the center appliance (48 and 42) cannot be attached to a corner or side of the opening so that if the wallboard is damaged in the center of the opening reinforcement is needed at that point. Thus the attachment arm 46 will seat against the device flanges 16. The placement of the straight is as follows:

1. For double and larger openings a straight device is used. The device is placed on the top and, if necessary, the bottom of the opening in much the same way as the angled device is placed.

2. The device is tilted to allow the rear flange through the opening and the wallboard edge (24) is placed in the channel and the arms secured by tightening screw 45 as described above.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described as referenced to the embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will understand that the foregoing and other changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A device for repairing openings in wallboard comprising a rear flange, a front flange and a member connecting the front and rear flanges such that the space between the rear and front flange forms a channel to receive a cross section of wallboard.
 2. The device of claim 1 that is formed with two sides at right angles to form an L shaped device.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the distance between the front and rear flange is between 0 and 1/16 inches wider than the thickness of the wallboard and the wallboard is selected from a group consisting of wallboards having ¼, ⅜, ½, ⅝, ¾ and 1 inch thickness.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the rear flange is wider than the front flange and the front flange is of a length no longer than the opening to be repaired.
 5. The device of claim 2 wherein the rear flange is wider than the front flange and the front flange is of a length no longer than the opening to be repaired.
 6. The device of claim 2 wherein the rear flange is constructed of such material and of such thickness as to be substantially rigid.
 7. The device of claim 6 wherein the device is constructed of a polymer material.
 8. The device of claim 2 wherein the tip of the front flange or flanges are tapered inward allowing the flange to grip the wallboard surface and wherein the taper begins about ⅛ to ¼ inch from the edge and extends about ¼ to ⅜ inch from the edge of the front flange.
 9. The device of claim 6 wherein there is provided an indention on the end of the flange to allow an overlap of a matching indented flange wherein the indentation is substantially the width of the rear flange and the indentation is substantially the depth of one half the thickness of the flange.
 10. A kit comprising a device pair for repairing openings in wallboard comprising a rear flange, a front flange and a member connecting the front and rear flanges such that the space between the rear and front flange forms a channel to receive a cross section of wallboard.
 11. The kit of claim 10 wherein each device is formed with two sides at right angles to form an L shaped device.
 12. The kit of claim 11 also comprising a shim adapted to place in the channel to reduce the width of the channel.
 13. The kit of claim 12 wherein the shim has a glue strip attached.
 14. A method of repairing and reinforcing an opening in wallboard comprising: placing in a wallboard opening a device comprising a rear flange, a front flange and a member connecting the front and rear flanges such that the space between the rear and front flange forms a channel to receive a cross section of wallboard; placing a faceplate or electrical appliance having an attachment means on the edge into the opening in a manner and a position so that at least one of the attachment means is secured behind the rear flange of the device.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the device is formed with two sides at right angles to form an L shaped device adapted to fit into a corner of an opening and the device is placed in at least one corner of the opening.
 16. The method of claim 14 wherein a shim is placed on the rear flange in the channel formed by the rear and front flange to reduce the channel width to provide a tighter fit on the wallboard.
 17. The method of claim 15 wherein a shim is placed on the rear flange in the channel formed by the rear and front flange to reduce the channel width to provide a tighter fit on the wallboard.
 18. The method of claim 14 wherein the device is placed in the wallboard opening without complete removal of an existing electrical appliance and without disconnecting the electrical or electronic wiring from the appliance.
 19. The method of claim 15 wherein the device is placed in the wallboard opening without complete removal of an existing electrical appliance and without disconnecting the electrical or electronic wiring from the appliance. 